Focused Passage

Deuteronomy 12:20-28

One Place, One People, One LORD: The Centralization of Worship

From the destruction of all Canaanite worship sites (vv. 1-4) through the centralization of all Israel's worship at the one chosen place (vv. 5-12) and the permission of profane slaughter with the blood prohibition (vv. 13-16) to the second cycle repeating the centralization and profane-slaughter provisions (vv. 17-28) and the closing warning against Canaanite inquiry and the addition-subtraction prohibition (vv. 29-32).

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

20 When the LORD your God expands your territory as He has promised, and you crave meat and say, “I want to eat meat,” you may eat it whenever you want.

21 If the place where the LORD your God chooses to put His Name is too far from you, then you may slaughter any of the herd or flock He has given you, as I have commanded you, and you may eat it within your gates whenever you want.

22 Indeed, you may eat it as you would eat a gazelle or deer; both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it.

23 Only be sure not to eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat.

24 You must not eat the blood; pour it on the ground like water.

25 Do not eat it, so that it may go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is right in the eyes of the LORD.

26 But you are to take your holy things and your vow offerings and go to the place the LORD will choose.

27 Present the meat and blood of your burnt offerings on the altar of the LORD your God. The blood of your other sacrifices must be poured out beside the altar of the LORD your God, but you may eat the meat.

28 Be careful to obey all these things I command you, so that it may always go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and right in the eyes of the LORD your God.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 20

Original words

When כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction the LORD יְהוָ֨ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֥יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular - אֶֽת־ H853 Direct object marker expands יַרְחִיב֩ H7337 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular your territory גְּבֽוּלְךָ֮ H1366 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular as כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative He has promised דִּבֶּר־ H1696 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular - לָךְ֒ Preposition | second person masculine singular - כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction and you נַפְשְׁךָ֖ H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular crave תְאַוֶּ֥ה H183 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person feminine singular . . . לֶאֱכֹ֣ל H398 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct meat בָּשָׂ֑ר H1320 Noun - masculine singular and say וְאָמַרְתָּ֙ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular I want to eat אֹכְלָ֣ה H398 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular meat בָשָׂ֔ר H1320 Noun - masculine singular you may eat תֹּאכַ֥ל H398 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular it בָּשָֽׂר׃ H1320 Noun - masculine singular whenever בְּכָל־ H3605 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct you נַפְשְׁךָ֖ H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular want אַוַּ֥ת H185 Noun - feminine singular construct
Verse 21

Original words

If כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction the place הַמָּק֗וֹם H4725 Article | Noun - masculine singular where אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶיךָ֮ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular chooses יִבְחַ֜ר H977 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular to put לָשׂ֣וּם H7760 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct His Name שְׁמ֣וֹ H8034 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular . . . שָׁם֒ H8033 Adverb is too far יִרְחַ֨ק H7368 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular from you מִמְּךָ֜ H4480 Preposition | second person masculine singular then you may slaughter וְזָבַחְתָּ֞ H2076 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular any of the herd מִבְּקָרְךָ֣ H1241 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular or flock וּמִצֹּֽאנְךָ֗ H6629 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular He יְהוָה֙ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular has given נָתַ֤ן H5414 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular - כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר H834 Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative you לְךָ֔ Preposition | second person masculine singular as אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Pronoun - relative I have commanded you צִוִּיתִ֑ךָ H6680 Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singular and you may eat וְאָֽכַלְתָּ֙ H398 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular it within your gates בִּשְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ H8179 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular whenever בְּכֹ֖ל H3605 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct you נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃ H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular want אַוַּ֥ת H185 Noun - feminine singular construct
Verse 22

Original words

Indeed אַ֗ךְ H389 Adverb you may eat יֵאָכֵ֤ל H398 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular - אֶֽת־ H853 Direct object marker it as כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative you would eat תֹּאכְלֶ֑נּוּ H398 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine singular a gazelle הַצְּבִי֙ H6643 Article | Noun - masculine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker or deer הָ֣אַיָּ֔ל H354 Article | Noun - masculine singular . . . כֵּ֖ן H3651 Adverb both יַחְדָּ֖ו H3162 Adverb the ceremonially unclean הַטָּמֵא֙ H2931 Article | Adjective - masculine singular and the clean וְהַטָּה֔וֹר H2889 Conjunctive waw, Article | Adjective - masculine singular may eat it יֹאכְלֶֽנּוּ׃ H398 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Verse 23

Original words

Only רַ֣ק H7535 Adverb be sure חֲזַ֗ק H2388 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular not לְבִלְתִּי֙ H1115 Preposition-l to eat אֲכֹ֣ל H398 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct the blood הַדָּ֔ם H1818 Article | Noun - masculine singular because כִּ֥י H3588 Conjunction the blood הַדָּ֖ם H1818 Article | Noun - masculine singular is ה֣וּא H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular the life הַנָּ֑פֶשׁ H5315 Article | Noun - feminine singular and you must not וְלֹא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle eat תֹאכַ֥ל H398 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular the life הַנֶּ֖פֶשׁ H5315 Article | Noun - feminine singular with עִם־ H5973 Preposition the meat הַבָּשָֽׂר׃ H1320 Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 24

Original words

vvv לֹ֖א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle You must not eat [the blood] תֹּאכְלֶ֑נּוּ H398 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine singular pour תִּשְׁפְּכֶ֖נּוּ H8210 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine singular it on עַל־ H5921 Preposition the ground הָאָ֥רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular like water כַּמָּֽיִם׃ H4325 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Verse 25

Original words

Do not לֹ֖א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle eat it תֹּאכְלֶ֑נּוּ H398 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine singular so that לְמַ֨עַן H4616 Conjunction it may go well יִיטַ֤ב H3190 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular with you לְךָ֙ Preposition | second person masculine singular and your children וּלְבָנֶ֣יךָ H1121 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular after you אַחֲרֶ֔יךָ H310 Preposition | second person masculine singular because כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction you will be doing תַעֲשֶׂ֥ה H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular what is right הַיָּשָׁ֖ר H3477 Article | Adjective - masculine singular in the eyes בְּעֵינֵ֥י H5869 Preposition-b | Noun - cdc of the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 26

Original words

But רַ֧ק H7535 Adverb you are to take תִּשָּׂ֣א H5375 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular your holy things קָֽדָשֶׁ֛יךָ H6944 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular - אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative - יִהְי֥וּ H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural . . . לְךָ֖ Preposition | second person masculine singular and your vow offerings וּנְדָרֶ֑יךָ H5088 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular and go וּבָ֔אתָ H935 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the place הַמָּק֖וֹם H4725 Article | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular will choose יִבְחַ֥ר H977 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 27

Original words

Present וְעָשִׂ֤יתָ H6213 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular the meat הַבָּשָׂ֣ר H1320 Article | Noun - masculine singular and blood וְהַדָּ֔ם H1818 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular of your burnt offerings עֹלֹתֶ֙יךָ֙ H5930 Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine singular on עַל־ H5921 Preposition the altar מִזְבַּ֖ח H4196 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular The blood וְדַם־ H1818 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct of your other sacrifices זְבָחֶ֗יךָ H2077 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular must be poured out יִשָּׁפֵךְ֙ H8210 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular beside עַל־ H5921 Preposition the altar מִזְבַּח֙ H4196 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular but you may eat תֹּאכֵֽל׃ H398 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular the meat וְהַבָּשָׂ֖ר H1320 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 28

Original words

Be careful שְׁמֹ֣ר H8104 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular to obey וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֗ H8085 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular - אֵ֚ת H853 Direct object marker all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct these הָאֵ֔לֶּה H428 Article | Pronoun - common plural - אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative things הַדְּבָרִ֣ים H1697 Article | Noun - masculine plural I אָנֹכִ֖י H595 Pronoun - first person common singular command you מְצַוֶּ֑ךָּ H6680 Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular so that לְמַעַן֩ H4616 Conjunction it may always go well יִיטַ֨ב H3190 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . עַד־ H5704 Preposition . . . עוֹלָ֔ם H5769 Noun - masculine singular with you לְךָ֜ Preposition | second person masculine singular and your children וּלְבָנֶ֤יךָ H1121 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular after you אַחֲרֶ֙יךָ֙ H310 Preposition | second person masculine singular because כִּ֤י H3588 Conjunction you will be doing תַעֲשֶׂה֙ H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular what is good הַטּ֣וֹב H2896 Article | Adjective - masculine singular and right וְהַיָּשָׁ֔ר H3477 Conjunctive waw, Article | Adjective - masculine singular in the eyes בְּעֵינֵ֖י H5869 Preposition-b | Noun - cdc of the LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃ס H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.